Missouri Senate

Introduced

The Department of Health and Senior Services shall directly mail age appropriate information to parents or guardians of female students entering grade 6 regarding the connection between HPV and cervical cancer and the availability of the HPV immunization. Such information shall include the risk factors for developing cervical cancer, the connection between HPV and cervical cancer, how it is transmitted and how transmission can be prevented, the latest scientific information about the immunization's effectiveness, information about the importance of pap smears, and a statement explaining that questions from parents or guardians may be answered by a health care provider.

Each mailing shall request that the parents of female students entering grade 6 voluntarily furnish a written statement, not later than 20 days after the first day of school, stating that they have received the information and that the student has received the immunization or the parents have decided not to have the student immunized. Each school district shall submit a report to the Department of Health and Senior Services within 60 days of enrollment which includes a statement about the number of female students who have and have not been immunized against HPV and the number of non-responses to the written statement.

Nothing in the act shall be construed to prevent school attendance if a parent has opted not to have the student receive the HPV immunization or has not furnished the written statement. Any information derived from the parents or guardian shall be used for statistical purposes only and shall not be used to personally identify any parent, guardian or any student.

This act also requires health insurance companies to provide coverage for HPV immunizations for females between the ages of 11 and 21.

This act is substantially similar to SCS/SB 514(2007).

ADRIANE CROUSE